Various applications benefit from knowledge regarding corrosiveness of certain fluids on particular metals. Experiments can test to determine such corrosion rates. By way of example, the corrosion rates facilitate selecting which oils to accept for processing in refineries, evaluating corrosion inhibiting additives, and scheduling replacement for components that are susceptible to corrosion.
Gravimetric analysis of metal coupons provides one past experimentation technique used to determine the corrosion rates. However, handling and processing of the coupons to obtain final weight measurements at an end of a test run for comparison to an initial weight introduces potential for errors especially since these weight differences may represent about one percent or even less of the initial weight of the coupon. The gravimetric analysis also yields only one data point per test run that may last several days and include time consuming setup of an autoclave. Dividing the test run to obtain more data points thus becomes impractical due to inefficiency in repeated cooling, cleaning, drying and weighing of the coupon along with purging, pressurizing and heating to reset the autoclave for each additional data point. Having the one data point without any data points for comparison both limits confidence in the one data point and prevents ability to evaluate adjustments in process conditions throughout a single test run.
Therefore, a need exists for improved methods and systems for corrosion rate monitoring.